Being Obese is Healthy- BULLSH*T! 

This moderate attitude and explanation is true body positivity.

It's so crazy to me when people try to convince us that obese is healthy. When I was obese I couldn't walk around comfortably, stairs were a nightmare, and even basic movements were a struggle/pain. Nothing physically or mentally healthy about it for me and I'm sure it would've led to an early grave if I didn't lose the weight. Thanks for another great video Dr Mike!

I love how you approach the issue with perfect clarity while still staying sensitive, informative, professional and funny. It's possible to promote health without bullying and shaming.

Eighteen years ago one of my significantly overweight pharmacist friends (24 years old at the time) was having a conversation with friends about poor diet and obesity and his opinion was he didn’t see a problem with being overweight and even used himself as an example with how healthy he was and how his blood work was great. I asked him if he missed that day in endocrine where we learned that you eventually burn out your pancreas and insulin sensitivity? 15 years later he had a myriad health issues, diabetes, and got gastric bypass.

When I was 22 I weighed 420lbs. The amount of food I was consuming started making me feel sick. So I eliminated the food that I suspected was making me feel sick inadvertently putting myself in a caloric deficit. I lost 60lbs without even realizing I did it. Family and friends started commenting on how much healthier I looked and I hopped on a scale to confirm. The realization of how truly easy it was to lose weight without realizing it made me want to lose more. In two years with some beginner level weight lifting and cardio exercises a few days a week I got down to 180lbs. Last time I weighed 180 was in the eighth grade. Now at 29 I've leveled up my skills in weight lifting and I'm easily maintaining a 215lbs bodyweight. I've learned so much in my journey about my own health and fitness and the importance of maintaining that, that all this talk about being overweight and healthy to me just sounds like lame cop outs for people who are too lazy to make positive changes in their life. But to each their own...

I was 525 pounds in 2017, today I am about 350 pounds and can tell you that I feel MUCH better. I still have another hundred-ish to lose, I can't wait to see what 250 feels like.

You see lots of "healthy" obese 20-30 year olds, you do not see alot of obese 70-80 year olds (in general)

The fitness industry needs this message so much! U don't need to be shredded or skinny, have a little chub is ok having a little chub and muscles is better!

I was obese and "healthy" for 25 years. At 47 and 200# I felt like shit, got winded going up and down stairs, had sore joints, was tired all the time yet couldn't get good sleep. I decided I didn't 2ant to be 50 and fat and recognizing it was only going to get worse, I set about getting fit and ACTUALLY healthy. I lost 75# and competed in women's physique division after 4 years of dieting and training, at the age of 50. Life got me by the balls immediately afterward; it took 6 years to gain it back. ( including during Covid) And at 57 my bloodwork was not so great, and I decided to stop fucking around and get back to it. Down about #50 with about 10-15# of fat to go. Bloodwork and overall energy is now excellent. My goal is to never be fat again. Period. Being obese sucks and anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves!

Am currently accepting & growing into my "Thickalicious" state. May 2019 - 404 lbs (bloatmax human deathstar) Feb 2021 - 155 lbs (Rake with 0 energy & crushed hormones) Today - 195 lbs. I feel better today than I did at both 400+ & 160 lbs, it turns out maybe I wasn't designed to be small! I'm eating well, in balance & moderation alongside being generally MUCH more active, this has changed almost every aspect of my life. Both mentally & physically I feel more human & capable. I'm in love with the process of training for both size & strength, I have a newfound joy in hiking & getting out into the world & a final bonus is I actually know how to cook FINALLY and I feel that's a super underrated aspect of taking your diet and overhauling it. Am I borderline "Obese"? Sure, would I say that much mattered? Nope. I train 5x a week, avg 15k steps a day and live with the knowledge I'm doing better & that's all that really matters. Hand on heart, I know I still got "some" bodyfat and that's something I'll work on over the next "x" amount of years. In 3 years I've overhauled my health & life, so the last few lbs of fat can come off when it's time!

This is the extremely important point, I think you nailed it. Not hating yourself because of your body composition is wonderful and something to move forward with in society. Denying scientific reality and leading people into early deaths and terrible quality of life helps no one.

Glad to know that my prior weight problems likely have no long term effects. In 2021 I was 21 and weighed around 270, lost 100lbs in 10 months and gained around 18lbs of muscle in a year now at 22 i'm around 18% bf at 194lbs miraculously I was lucky to be able to lose weight and not rebound 8 months after the end of my diet and no weight gain. Actually at the beginning of july i started cutting again so I have room to do some bulking.

As an ex-fat person, I gotta say, health benefits aren't really the reason I deliberately lost bodyfat. I just hated how I looked in the mirror and decided to do something about it, and I feel incredibly on a daily basis compared to before. Just FEELING good everyday, like being able to walk around the mall without getting gassed, or going to bed without the discomfort of a fat belly resting on my sensitive stomach, is totally worth the effort. The health is just icing on the cake.

I wish 2 of my friends, that passed at 38 and 42, would have seen this video. They both were very heavy, 300 and 450lbs. They were told by their doctors to lose weight or die. The one did, and then went back up and gained even more. The other had a cholesterol level over 400 and refused to change. They couldn't do hardly anything. Helping one move and we were carrying a love seat, I thought he was going to have a heart attack walking 20 feet with it. The other, we were edging his yard, I was doing the edging and he had to sit down for 10mn just from walking around with me. That is not a life! I can't get them back but I couldn't help them change either. :(

Dr. Mike, I have been suffering from diet fatigue for about 2 months. I lost 60 lbs in 3 months from intermittent fasting (half the day hungry) then 2 normal meals. Plus walking, tons and tons of walking everyday on hills. One of your videos taught me I need to take a break from the classic cut and so maintenance. Some days I wake up fatigued, but your advice has helped. I have gone from 270 to 210. My goal is 180. Love your videos.

This literally describes my experience. I have been fat all my life while being active and having perfect blood work. I realized when I reached 430lb at 22years old that, although I was still "Healthy", I felt like shit and was starting to slow down. I started lifting, regular cardio, and just minding my calories so now im down 30lb and feel so much better. I still have a long way to go but I was able to change course before it was too late. Thanks for all the great content and the no bullshit approach.

I constantly have this argument with a friend of mine. They claim they can be obese and healthy. They’re closing in on 40, and it’s bound to catch up to them at some point.

I had mild sleep apnea at 19 a few months ago. 6'3 and 310lbs at my highest. Now I'm 273lbs. Difference is night and day. Sleep apnea is gone, I can do the 90 minute boxing training and not be exhausted, I can do 15 Deficit Paused Push-ups (up from 8 at 296) and am slowly approaching my first pull-up hopefully by the end of this fat loss phase. Started my 2nd fat loss phase this week (8 weeks). This phasic approach to losing weight has saved me, for the first time in my life I feel like I'm in control, and confident of reaching the end Goal (215-220 by the Start of 2024). I'll keep updating you on my progress the coming months and once I reach the end Goal by commenting on new videos. Thanks Dr Mike

When I was overweight my depression had a hard grip on me. I used a recovery phase to force a fitness routine into my life. Two years later I'm fit as fuck, I also can balance my mental health way better. Painful truth: It IS hard work, it WILL be slow and there is NO quick fix, but the journey of development and continuous learning is the real reward. Best decision of my life.

Great video! When I was 25, I weighed close to 260lbs. I lied for years saying I was "fine". I kept telling myself "Oh, I'll start this summer, or next." And, never did. Then I lost a tone of weight before going back to school. In fact, I think I lost too much so fast, I should have did it over an extended period of time to keep some of my strength or gains. In a matter of 4 months (maybe less), I went from 259 to my lowest 183. I cut sugar & carbs, gave up junk food, mostly stuck to eating vegetables and some type of lean protein (chicken or salmon). Now I'm 34, at 165lbs. What I've learned along the way, is yes, you can still make room for junk food. But, I limit the amount I intake. And, the most underrated thing to help me lose weight was a lot of walking! I started with 2-3 miles a day, then made my way to 4-5 miles. Now with a dog, I average about 6-7 miles daily, on top of weight lifting which I do 4 days a week. Like the Doctor said, it's a journey. Not an overnight thing. Could take years to get to where you want to be. But, the journey to get there will be worth it. Make every day count.

It's a shame really that the body positivity movement has become so misshapen. The original idea, that being overweight or obese shouldn't be a cause for self-loathing and that people can be mentally healthy at any size, is an admirable one! But, as Dr Mike laid out in the video, that doesn't mean that physically one is healthy or that those who are overweight shouldn't try to live healthier lives at healthier weights/bf percentages. I'm curious to know where, when, and how HAAS became what it is today, which is really just an excuse to ignore the physical reality in favour of preserving fragile egos

That obese but becomes healthy mid 20s scenario is me rn. 24, I’ve lost 50lbs and I’m normal bmi (barely) for the first time ever-including as a child. I was healthy while fat but it wasn’t aesthetic. Good to know that I (probably) didn’t do any permanent damage.

I was an obese and healthy person despite being over 300 pounds for years. I got up to 353 in my mid 30s, and my blood work was still mostly good. Even my blood pressure and pulse weren't that bad. And then my gallstones tried to pop my gall bladder. And then my fatty liver looked close to cirrhosis. And then my already fragile mental health plummeted. I faced my own mortality at least a few times for a couple years. But, I thought I would share for those in their mid to late 30s, because I've lost over 85 pounds and six inches on my waist. My waist is smaller now than when I weighed 265 in my 20s. So, try it. Believe in yourself.

Thank you for your content, I’m on a serious lifestyle change and dietary change. I peaked at 408 pounds, I felt like shit about myself. As of today, roughly three months later, I’m down roughly 60 pounds. I still hate cardio, but I’ve taken up strength training and I’m loving it. Instead of coping with stress through food, I’m coping with stress through my workouts now. I’m much happier now, and while I have a long way to go, I’m looking forward to what I have in store for a healthy future.

I use a quote I got from a good friend of mine who’s also a personal trainer whenever some of my obese family and friends talk negatively about my health journey….”I rather workout and eat better on my own doing than a doctor telling me I have to”

These magazines always show someone doing yoga because that's all you can do when you are obese. When i was at my heaviest, exercise was a nightmare. People don't talk about chaffing and sweating etc and I probably didn't fall into obese camp so my heart goes out to those who are. The limitations of the weight hinder real health gains.

I 100% agree with you Mike, you for sure don't need to snort cocaine all the time to become railthin. Amphetamines are way cheaper, the effects last longer, more appetite suppressive, just a way better replacement all around.

This channel is on another level. Great advice, no Bro Science, and a message pitched in a way that’s motivating. Dr Mike is a fantastic educator disguised as a strip club bouncer! 🍻

Even with healthy blood work that doesn't mean the joints aren't under immense pressure. The knees hurt so bad. Sleep quality is reduced. The fatigue and digestive issues suck. I was obese and it was awful. Never again.

The fact that you didn't once belittle or put down obese people is amazing. You explained it in a kind way and with warnings. Need more trainers like you.

It's pretty funny that this video got recommended randomly to me. I started a new job 9 months ago and right away decided I would need to start going to the gym. Since I work as a taxi driver now. Before this I have always had active jobs so I've never seen a need to work out. But I will say I've been fat most of my adult life. On the edge of "Obese" if u look at BMI (yes I know it's not entirely accurate), but I have felt fine and have not had any health issues so far. I checked my weight for fun before I started and it landed on 113kg. Well things started happening after I started lifting weights. My posture greatly changed, I felt stronger, got down 2 sizes on pants, muscles started to show and just like 2 weeks ago I was like "Wow. It would be fun to check in on my weight again." So I did. Turns out I still weigh 113kg. Haha. Thx for reading. Good video! Have a nice day

I love the emphasis on lifting weights and being “thickalicious” rather than skinny. I’ve known many girls over the years who do nothing but run to get in shape and they end up with zero shape that extra body fat sits loosely on top of and looks so much worse. We need to get more people into lifting weights to lose weight and look better.

This is exactly what scares me shitless, I'm 26, i weigh at around 320lbs, i started working on changing my habits and my life in general, for now I am (or at least i feel) healthy, but i am really afraid shit would get back to me while in that changing period, or that i would pay my 3 or 4 years of obesity later in life... I don't know you or you channel but you've gained a follower Thank you for that video, you're saving lives

I'm not even obese, I body build as it is, but I still appreciate the more gentle, yet still plainly honest, educational approach you took to this topic.

I’m all for body positivity and being comfortable in your own body, as someone who has been significantly heavier in the past and has undergone body recomposition through lifting and eating habit changes i am glad you made this video and whole heartedly agree. I’m so tired of hearing things like “you can be obese and healthy,” because its not really true. Yeah those test results might be ok… at first, but that obesity happened because of bad habits that will invariably show up in those tests a little later down the line.

I was pretty obese, now I'm just overweight. My blood pressure was always perfect, most blood values pretty much in a decent range, and I was pretty healthy. But now that I lost some weight, I'm healthier. Being relatively healthy is good, but to be more healthy, well... you get the idea.

It’s absolutely wild to me that some people would rather struggle and toil to change the standards held by our entire society, rather than just eat a bit less and add some amount of exercise to their lives. Everyone wants to fit in and seem “worthy” in the eyes of others, but forcing your way into acceptance is the dumbest form of laziness because it honestly takes far more effort than just applying some self-discipline.

I’m obese and 100 years old and I take offense to this reasonable and scientifically backed information.

This the exact motivation I needed today to not slip on my diet. Thanks Dr Mike!

I was 170lbs heavier at one point in my life - blood pressure and many other issues… I’ve made that long path from 345lbs to 175lbs and my heart truly goes out to people in the obese category. Thank you for putting this out there - it seems like you genuinely care! It’s not as easy as “oh obese people are undisciplined” buuuut there is a world they/me can be healthier and live a far more enriching life long term! Thanks again for REAL information and not selling people fake junk! I love what you said in one of the comments: “body positivity grounded in realism” Good on ya man!

This is a reminder of how amazing the human body is. Going from literal obesity by the time you're in your early 20's, to not obese in your mid 20's, and not suffer the effects. I was a gym rat since I was 15, through college, and after, until around 32. Then I got fat and lazy, from 5'11" 220lbs to 285lbs, eating pure garbage. Completely let my health and body go in most ways possible, including a decade of legit SA. I ruptured my quad tendon at 42, had no health insurance, and hit my rock bottom. Had the surgery, and while my leg was locked in a brace, got my diet right, and lost 50lbs. I began the physical therapy all on my own using youtube and whatnot, and continued to build on those good habits. I just had my annual physical, 132/89 bp, all labs clean, lipids slightly elevated but ok with high HDL being a contributor, test at 594NG/dL, 220lbs. And I can run if I want to and do physical things I was told I'd probably never do after the knee injury. I flat out abused my body for a decade and a half and, at middle-aged, was able to reverse it. I'm not bragging or suggesting anyone do this. I had legit MH issues and didn't respond to my divorce in a healthy way. But it blows my mind what diet and exercise can do for the human body, and that constant wonder is what keeps me on the right track. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, Dr. Mike.

This vid showcases what Dr Mike does so well, and differentiates him from so much of the fitness industry - his dogged appreciation for nuance on the topics. There’s so much binary thinking plaguing fitness (and frankly everything else) it’s nice to see someone who honestly grapples with the nuanced grey areas.

I had 33 BMI 2 years ago. Dieted and took 10 kg off, now I am 29 BMI. Now I has started lifting weights and I feel much better (just 1 hour 2 times a week). Even my back pain disappeared! The approach dr Mike proposes is awesome.

Me and Ethan have alot in common in my current journey. I let myself gooo. But I've currently been on this fat loss journey for a solid couple years now. I've always been up and down in my twenties 195 then up to 300, then down to 220. Once I got kids I ballooned up to 365. Currently im at 270. I'm 511, trying to get down to 220-215. RP and Ethan Suplee has really helped open my eyes from all the online BS that exists. Its beginning more of a lifestyle change and non of this bouncing up and down nonsense. Its alot harder this time though, im 35 and im beginning to have the aches and pains of carrying this weight around, also sleep apnea and now taking BP medication. Yep, should of kept it off in my 20's. Wished i found RP back then. Thanks Dr. Mike for posting these vids. I couldnt fit on a roller coaster with my kid last year. Now, i can fit into XL and 2X shorts. I used to be at 4X man.

Bloodwork, it was always bloodwork for obestiy health advocates. Like that was the ONLY metric they could ever point to, a single snapshot in time, that negated all other evidence to the contrary. Great video as always.

I really appreciate this video. I am in my late 20s and I have struggled with being obese for as long as I can remember. At my heaviest about 5 years ago, i was around 296. I went through a period of losing weight and gaining it back for a few years. I started hitting the gym hard about a year ago, and have slowly progressed to mostly weight training, now I am around 5 pounds less than my maximum weight, however my stomach is around 4 inches smaller in diameter, i can fit into some of my old clothes, and i have started moving weight I never thought i could. I can see definition on my upper chest and arms that I never thought I would be able to see. I am far from being super jacked, and I still have some work before I get to thick and healthy territory, but this is the best I have ever felt in my life.

I was obese my entire life. Lost the weight in 2018. Best decision I’ve ever made.

Thank you. I was very much into diet and exercise and it showed til I became ill in my mid 40s. 7 years later and I’ve had an organ transplant 18 months ago, and feel excellent, between meds, age, gender I still have about 30 lbs to lose. I have lost 30 so I’m still on my weight loss journey. And idc what anyone tries to tell me that I can rely on my age, gender and meds to excuse my being overweight. Watching these young people pretend they feel good about themselves while being morbidly obese or even just “pretty fucking overweight” 😂 is INSANE and disgusting. It is a SAD LIE that they are being told and spreading this bullshit to others that eating processed foods, not exercising, wearing XXX is normal and beautiful? What is wrong with basic science? Any cardiologist will tell anyone listening that being a 0 is not a goal and being XXX is not a goal. Healthy living = whole food, physical exercise, mental well-being. Everything else is paying someone to alleviate your personal responsibilities to your SELF. I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS! Thank you for the constant motivation!!! ❤

I lost 100 pounds and have kept it off for 5 years now. At one point weight loss success seemed impossible but I truly believe anybody can do it. My advice would be to learn as much about nutrition as you can and buy a kitchen scale. Just get moving and stay consistent and success will come.

So many people need to watch this. It’s very down to earth and not overly complicated to understand.

I think the biggest problem is that people don’t want to take ownership of reality. I am overweight, I know I am not healthy, however, I can learn to love myself and my body while not denying that fact. Just take ownership. This goes for so many other things I won’t talk about but people are deflecting reality with untruths because they think it suddenly will be fact and therefore ok.

I love the neutrality of this approach, and the objective lack of judgement. No one is saying it's your fault or that you're a bad or unworthy person... just that it's time to make a change, and here's why.

What a great message and REALISTIC message, Mike, i know a lot of folks online need to hear this.

As a big girl with pcos, insulin resistance, and bad chronic fatigue I really appreciated this video. It’s really nice to hear that you don’t have to be rail thin to be healthy, bc I do my best with what limitations I have financially and physically through working out and eating at home instead of out. Which I feel like I’ve done good with bc I’ve gained weight bc of muscle and have lost a few inches.

This will trigger a lot of delusional people 🤣

Since day one of January 24, ive decided to just eat to where I'm in a caloric deficit and do 2 10 min workouts, one in the am and one after work. I've gone from almost 260 and am currently at 193lbs. Putting on muscle weight too. Building muscle for me, just feels good and makes working out that much more enjoyable. It's only mid of February. That's just 1.5 months. Im still eating the foods I love, just not much of it. I feel and look better. I have more movement and flexibility than I did in my early 20s(currently in my early 30s). This journey has changed the way I eat to the point where I no longer crave processed sweets as much and now prefer fruit sugars instead. Every aspect of my life suddenly improved (from work/life balances, relationships, financials, etc.). I only wished I had started sooner.

Body goals: Have Dr. Mike classify me as 'thickalicious."

I think health needs to be a topic of conversation. Health is many things and I appreciate Mike’s point about separating physical attractiveness from healthy body fat percentages because as is obvious just because someone is wildly attractive to look at doesn’t mean they are “healthy”. I have heard people online in comments calling a young lady unhealthy because she had slight middle tummy pudge in a bikini 👙. Her body fat was probably low 20% range she said she wore a women’s medium in clothes. I appreciate this idea of thickness and healthy you don’t need to have visible abs female or male to still be active and muscular eating mostly nutritious meals. ❤😊

Thickalicious is Dr. Mike's first rap album, in case you didn't know.

I was 330+ lbs by the age of 15. I never felt fat until I would see my reflection. I was just as athletic if not more so than my slimmer friends. I would beat my buddies on the basketball team, 1 on 1, whoop my buddies at tennis and such. Now I'm 40 and in the best shape of my life, largely in part to your advice and app! I used to be one of those Gold's Gym trainers that thought I knew everything. I didn't learn what a deload was until a decade later. Anyways, I was fat but fierce! Not sure if my blood work was good or not, but I felt awesome. Life's only gotten easier since my tubby days👌🏼

One thing should be clarified. I agree that if you have more muscle than fat and being overweight, you’re metabolically healthier. However, being overweight, even if it’s a lot of muscle still puts strain of your heart and body according to the most recent literature. Layne Norton covers this on his channel.

I’m 6’2, currently about 190 pounds. I used to weigh between 240 to 280, but in 2019 I went up to 320. I was able to lose the weight through diet and exercise, and making food at home during Covid instead of eating out every day. It makes such an incredible difference in not just my physical state, but also my mental state. 11/10, would recommend, and I strongly agree with about 90% of what Dr. Mike says on this channel.

Sumo wrestlers are touted as a paragon of health while being obese: great blood work, no visceral fat, etc. Average lifespan, 60-65 years, and that's in Japan, the longevity capital of the world. Turns out it's impossible to out train a terrible diet when you're 50+ years old.

I lost 60kg (~130lbs). Started when I was 44 as I KNEW I was headed for an early grave.It’s took a little over 18mnths of hard work but I did it. I don’t doubt a lifetime of obesity has done damage but I’m sitting around 15% bf and loving lifting. I’m a better, happier healthier husband and father. A lot of the how I got there is thanks to Dr Mike and a few other trusted fitness producers like stronger by science.

Such a great message everyone should hear. Thank you

I have to agree, it does catch up with you. I’ve been morbidly obese all my adult life and I’m superficially still healthy at 47 years old and 150kg. My blood sugars are prefect, my blood pressure and cholesterol are fine, but my testosterone (which is rarely tested in Australia) is terrible. My doctor says, if i understood correctly, it’s because fat converts testosterone into oestrogen faster than your body can make it. It’s making losing weight very difficult. Who knows whatever changes are going on that don’t show up in routine blood tests. Not to mention the extra pressure it puts on joints. I get how hard it is for some of us to lose weight, but it’s not healthy, and it 100% catches up with us. And I’m pretty sure if it wasn’t for my love of the gym it would have caught up with me much sooner..

Hell yeah! Look at this comment section. Congrats to all you guys for getting healthy and committing to losing weight. Nobody has to be skinny, ripped or athletic toned. Hell, a lot of people look better with some extra pounds on them. Just as long as you're around a healthy weight for your frame and staying active and having a somewhat healthy diet. That's all that matters.

I used to be pretty chubby as a kid, pretty much up until I was 14-15. Could barely run three kilometres (although I was a very fast sprinter and could outpace most of my class at short distances). When I was 15 I decided that I had had enough, and that I was going to be more active. I talked to my mum about it and she suggested that I start by walking more. I never ate a lot of junk, I just had a big apetite and my activity didn't match my calorie consumption. I kept walking, even tried a ten week running program to help people run their first 5k. I didn't complete it, but it did get me started on proper exercise. When I entered high school, it was very far from home. Almost 10 kilometres. Pretty soon I started getting off the subway halfway through the journey home and walked the rest. Eventually I just started walking the whole way whenever I had the time. When I turned 17, I got my conscription note from the government (I'm Swedish, and we have conscription). That was the true wake up call, as I had always dreamt of joining the military, but always thought it was too far off. I started going to the gym one week later with my dad. It's now a year and a half later since then. I'm graduating high school this June, and I'm reporting to my regiment for basic training this August. I can deadlift 100 kg, leg press 180 kg, and run 12 kilometres. I still have a bit of fat left which hide my shy abs, but I'm within a healthy weight for my height. Beginning to exercise was one of the best decisions I've ever made, and I am a better person because of it.

Dr. Mike thanks for the video! Lately I’ve been wondering about this topic and how it differs from bodybuilders. For example, 5’6” and 270 pounds, consuming thousands of calories per day would seem to me to put a tremendous strain on the digestive system, the heart and arteries and the lungs. PEDs or not, in this state of being, can the organs really tell the difference between overweight “fat” and overweight with muscle? I assume that eating healthy vs unhealthy would be a factor in either state of being. You touched on this but have there been any studies done on bodybuilders who’ve maintained a large physique for ~10 years?

Became obese in high school and morbidly obese in college, near the end of college in my early 20s I got my diet and exercise in check, and it really wasn’t too difficult. After watching this, I’m glad I got healthy early on before I got long term effects. You don’t even gotta be in your early 20s like I was, if you’re older and are obese, do something NOW before you get older.

Can we finally reframe body positivity into something positive like this pls.

I was obese and healthy in my 20s so I never really cared about what doctors and others told me, then the 30s hit and signs of trouble started appearing. Thankfully I've managed to lose weight through exercise and eating better and the results were evident in my most recent tests.

MYTH: " you need to train hot for fat loss and hypertrophy. It increases blood flow and thermogenic properties. Wear a thick a hoodie. Never take a cold shower after a work out " Id love to see this explained....

Good video, Dr Mike. Thank you for sharing. I can appreciate trying to positive with one's appearance and body size, but as someone who was once clinically obese (over 130kg, or nearly 300lbs), I did not like being obese. I profusely sweated almost all the time, I would easily get out of breath, I would accidentally break clothes on a regular basis (like shorts or jeans), I accidentally broke furniture a few times, and I did not feel "good" about myself (I was that guy who always wore dark-coloured clothing that was way over-sized and honestly, I was a total "neck beard"). I always just felt, I don't know how to explain it, but kinda ill, like all the time. I was also so physically weak, and I was only 21 years old at the time. Shortly after turning 21, through 'insert back story here', I lost over 70lbs (over 30kg) and found passion in health, fitness, weight lifting as well as the martial art and sport of judo. Have been going on for 14 years strong since then. I understand and acknowledge that the reason I was obese, was because of me. It had nothing to do with "genetics", it all came down to the poor choices that I was making. I made the choice to stay up late playing video games. I made the choice to over-consume calories in the form of processed foods that I found palatable and pleasurable. I made the choice to consume large amounts of alcohol on a regular basis. And I made the choice to not physically exercise. I will say though, one thing that did frustrate me when I was obese, is how disrespectful, insulting and blatantly rude some people were toward me, because of my appearance and weight. I had no friends in my early years of high school and was often physically and mentally tormented by bullies (some of which tried to follow me via virtual means into my senior years, and even my university/college years). This lead me to isolating myself away from others for my physical and mental safety, seeking comfort in things like the internet, video games, popular culture and of course, processed foods I found palatable and pleasurable. Alcohol came into that mix later on in life when I was legally old enough to drink. I am very much glad that I found better health and a new passion, and I am confident that I may have extended my life for a few years. However, what I am not grateful for, are those in my past who seemed convinced that they had the right to treat me the way they did, simply because of my appearance and weight. On the same token... not to possibly contradict myself... while I believe it is important to respect others, and to be positive about ourselves and our bodies, I also believe our health is a priority. We don't have to be an elite athlete or a magazine model, but in order to improve the quality of our lives, our mental health, and to ensure that we can live on this planet for as long as naturally possible, we should be striving to maintain good care of our health.

So there are 4 body types: ectomorph, endomorph, mesomorph and thickolicious: strength training, healthy eating, higher levels of physical activity. You learn something new every day!

I think another huge point is to figure out your relationship with food, so that you make sure as you start to lose weight you dont create a worse relationship with food. A lot of diets (especially ones marketed towards young women) practically glorify EDs and that will set you on an equally unhealthy path.

I'm mid 40s and have PCOS. I've finally got my eight gain under control but I'm around 300lbs. A combination of nexplanon plus metformin has really slowed down how much weight I gain, and even managed to lose some weight with my daily walks. Latest bloodwork shows no diabetes nor pre-diabetes, normal blood pressure, thyroid levels normal... basically everything is normal with just a bit elevated cholesterol. Now, I may still be healthy on paper, but my lower back and knees hurt often and been having issues with my hip joints, so I've slowly been working on strengthening my body because man, carrying all this extra weight is not good. I may never reach the average weight I should be for my age and height, but I can at least work in making the body I have stronger.

"They're no longer healthy. They're dead."

Mike I love you man, just wanted to say that. You're very comforting and I appreciate all you do and put out there.

Calling obese healthy would be the same as calling dumb people smart - most people would like to be called according how they feel/what they strive to be but are often not willing to actually make the change needed Facts/Data > Feelings🙏

Yeeeep. that was me. I'm 6'1" average muscle mass on a wide frame but since middle school I've been obese. for 15 years I felt healthy and was relatively active and fit for my size. by the end of high school I was 250 lbs and by the age of 28 (I'm 30 now) I was almost 275lbs. I thought It was possible to be fat and healthy because of how I felt but last year my blood work came back with elevated blood sugar, ldl, triglycerides and blood pressure - typical metabolic syndrome. I've always tried to lose weight in the past because I never liked how I looked, but nothing I tried worked - low carb, no sugar, trying to eat less, but I just love food and eating a lot so it never stuck. But this time I realized my future was really on the line so I dug deep and did the research required to learn how to really lose the weight. Ended up downloading a calorie tracker app (not RP, sorry :'[) and the pounds fell off. I felt embarrassed because how easy it really was. I ate what I wanted but just kept an accurate log of what I ate and limited calories to lose 1lb/week. I went down to 235 in 6 months and felt like I could have kept going but after watching a lot of Dr. Mike's videos on weight loss figured I should start a maintenance period of at least 3 months. that's where I'm at now and I start my next weight loss phase Monday. Can't "weight" to look in the mirror and see the person I always thought I should be seeing.

It's amazing how stating the most obvious facts in the world can get you fired or physically attacked.

I'll add one more comment - I'm male, 5'7.5", 22 years old, currently about 215lbs. I usually sit closer to 200 even, but I am prepping for a powerlifting meet and trying my best to fill out the 220 class. I have a good amount of muscle mass, but even still my bodyfat percentage is somewhere in the 20-30 % range, and it has been that way since my early teens. Obviously not ideal. My bloodwork is perfect, but I know I can't stay this fat long-term, which is why I am making a structured plan to lose about 25lbs after I compete. Thanks for all of this free info Dr. Mike.

"And over time, you turn from obese into "thickalicious'"😆 got a kick outta this!

I so much appreciate that you share your knowledge on this platform. I also really appreciate your common sense approach of starting slow and just shifting from fat to muscle over time. I find your videos to be a great source of motivation, so I just wanted to say thanks.

Would love to see a video on how losing weight the third or fourth time is harder than the first time. For those who have yo yo'd several times with additional weight gained each time. I have to lose 100 pounds this time and can't face what I have done to myself or get the scale moving down.

The increase in muscularity is really noticeable in how you feel, surprisingly fast, if you take lifting weights seriously. I started getting more active last March by training at home with bodyweight and resistance bands 3x a week with a full body program. Did that for about 3 months, got a gym membership in the beginning of June and have been going there 4x a week with an upper-lower split. I don't weight too much less than I did when I started (I hover around 105kg/230lbs), but damn I feel SO much better now than when I started. But the good news is I started to feel noticeably better in like two weeks, so you don't even need to wait for 5-6 months to notice a clear difference and by the time I moved my training into the gym, the difference was night and day already. Now I am committed to my fitness journey by now, I train relatively hard for my level of experience and really love the process. I don't worry about loosing all of my fat yet, but I do plan to cut next spring to around 12-15% bodyfat, if I keep this train rolling. But it's really amazing to witness what your body is capable of and the transformation is really noticeable already, without really loosing much weight as the weight I do have has been transforming into muscle. I seem to respond to training relatively well, but even with the speed of progress aside, it's so easily worth it to get into resistance training, that I only wish I started earlier. Thankfully even, if the best time to start something would have been 10 years ago or so (am 26, very soon 27), the second best time to start is now! Ps. Also I would like to thank RP and dr. Mike for your videos! I love learning the ins and outs of things I get into and this channel has been a goldmine. I also love the training videos you post for inspiration and motivation, even if I don't go that hard at my level, as my focus is on learning the basics, but I do push myself onto the edge of what is reasonable in terms of intensity and effort considering where I am on my mesocycle and considering my newness. I really live for the intensity in my training and I aspire to push myself eventually to the levels of crazy you guys put out in terms of effort and intensity!

By that standard of health, you can also be healthy as a smoker. What a shortsighted view on health.

I’m 37, 5’7” and carried excess weight most of my life. Ive lost 100 pounds in the last year and feel like I’ve missed so much. Not to mention carrying all that weight for so long has taken its toll on my knees and feet. All I can do is blame myself and try to handle the damage control.

It's about as healthy as blasting grams of gear for years

I was almost 350lbs of fat in my early 20s and never set foot in the gym. Now I'm 30, 200lbs, pretty toned, reasonably strong (compared to most people, not the ones you see on this channel lol) and go to the gym 3-4 days a week. So happy I got it turned around before my obesity caught up to me. Life is so much easier and happier to go through when you're fit and strong, and I can rest easy knowing that period of obesity might never have an impact on me long-term. I just wish I got into lifting way earlier and had all the knowledge I have now back then... wasted so many years running to shed the fat when I should have just modified my diet and lifted weights.

Healthy obese is like healthy smoker.

I'm an obese person and OBESITY IS NOT HEALTHY! I was struggling with my hunger and I ended up having gastric sleeve surgery and I have lost 32kg and have gone from 202kg to 170kg. I'm much more active walking 3 times a week, swimming 3 times a week. I have a balanced diet which includes chocolate once a week. I eat 3 high protein meals a day with 1 snack (if I'm hungry, which isn't often) and I drink 1.5L of water a day, which is all I can manage with my stomach. Gastric Sleeve Surgery is just a tool for weight loss and really have to be committed and make those mental changes otherwise the surgery won't work and you can regain your weight and the education and support has been key to me making these sustainable changes

When Lizzo is a fitness influencer you know we’re in trouble

I decided I wanted to be healthier about 3 months ago. Roughly. I started walking every day for half and hour, doing a push up, squat and sit-up routine. About 40 minutes in total. I also cut out most sugars from my diet. I’ve lost about 10kg and don’t really feel like i’ve changed all that much about my lifestyle. Less soft drinks, and some moderate exercise, that was it

I think you're preaching to the choir?

Health at any size seems like a helpful spin on the truth. If you've tried a few diets and repeatedly failed to lose weight, it can be easy to think "what's the point of eating well and exercising, if I'm going to be unhealthy either way?" Encouraging people to take healthy steps without an all or nothing, judgmental attidude, seems sensible to me. I like Mike's attidude on this, not endorsing obestiy as a healthy thing, but being encouraging and gentle about it.

Is healthy

Thanks, this is the message I need to heard today. I am 44 , 1,73 and 295 pounds. I will never be skinny. I have been fat all my life, I just need to avoid being diabetic. 250 pounds is my goal.

Dr Mike cancelled #2